Pod Save America - Michael Lewis on Bravery in Politics and Why Elon Musk Seems so “Disturbed”

Michael Lewis, acclaimed author of The Big Short, Moneyball and The Fifth Risk joins Lovett to discuss his most recent book, Who is Government? Lewis and his coauthors profile the civil servants whose thankless and unglamorous work prevents mines from collapsing, castaways from drowning, and rare diseases from killing people. He and Jon talk about why it’s so important to break down the “bureaucrat” stereotype right now, why Lewis is convinced Elon Musk has no idea how to run DOGE, and what leads the people he writes about to stand up to Trump or succumb to their personal ambition.

 

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

 

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Up First from NPR - Fear and Dreaming in the USA

Fear is consuming many immigrant communities since the nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration. This week on The Sunday Story, NPR Immigration Correspondent Jasmine Garsd travels from Florida to a meatpacking town in Nebraska to a food bank near Chicago and finally to North Carolina to find out how immigrants are coping with the current situation.

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What Next | Daily News and Analysis - TBD | Why Wall Street Can’t Quit Elon

Elon Musk’s polarizing persona and antics have created a toxic cloud around his companies, particularly Tesla. But despite that, Wall Street can’t seem to quit him. Why? 


Guest: Felix Salmon, host of Slate Money and chief financial correspondent for Axios.


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It Could Happen Here - CZM Book Club: Escape, part two

Margaret reads the second half of an anonymously authored speculative fiction story about what people could do if large scale roundups began, and discusses it with an anarchist technology enthusiast.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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African Tech Roundup - Adapt or Be Left Behind: Marie Lora-Mungai on AI and the Future of African Filmmaking

Meet Marie Lora-Mungai, expert advisor in African creative industries and sports business and founder of Restless Global - whose 20-year journey from CNN journalist to production company founder to industry advisor gives her a unique vantage point on Africa's creative economy. In thought-provoking conversation with Andile Masuku, Lora-Mungai makes a compelling case for African filmmakers to stop seeking funding for traditional productions and instead leverage AI tools to create content independently. Episode overview: The discussion stems from Lora-Mungai's viral Linkedin post warning African filmmakers about AI disruption. She points to a jarring disconnect: while some creators are still trying to raise millions for conventional productions, others are creating professional-quality content using AI tools on a laptop. The conversation explores how this technological shift is redefining what it means to be a filmmaker in 2025 and beyond. Key topics: - The widening gap between traditional film projects and AI-enabled production - How AI tools are eliminating conventional barriers to content creation - The shift from specialised roles to comprehensive creative vision - Why traditional fundraising may be obsolete for many productions - The changing landscape for talent, especially voice actors and performers - Emerging regulatory needs for protecting creative identity in an AI world Notable points: 1. Many Nollywood filmmakers are not yet leveraging AI, though the first AI-themed movie releases this month in Nigeria 2. Independent filmmakers Hussain Sambal are creating professional-quality content using AI with minimal resources 3. Lora-Mungai advises creators to "build in public" rather than spending time seeking traditional funding 4. AI tools are making traditional film specialisations like editing and visual effects increasingly obsolete 5. Blockchain and Web3 technologies may become essential for tracking and monetising creative assets in an AI-dominated landscape Be sure to listen out for a particularly candid moment when Masuku reveals he recently turned down offers from companies wanting to replicate his voice using AI, and Lora-Mungai's forthright response about the inevitability of this transformation. Here's a link to Marie Lora-Mungai's inciting Linkedin post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/marieloramungai_african-filmmakers-we-need-to-talk-about-activity-7312399340570918912-uVie?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAGwgRYBG52bgfG6IE0hzny7wKy24y4L_74) Image credit: Restless Global

PBS News Hour - Health - Are gummy vitamins as effective as traditional vitamin pills?

Making sure you get the right amount of daily vitamins can be difficult. Today, a booming multi-billion-dollar industry of gummy vitamins and supplements claims its products make it both easier and tastier. But how do they compare with traditional vitamin pills? Ali Rogin speaks with registered dietitian Shyla Davis-Cadogan to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

PBS News Hour - Science - How 200-year-old whaling logs are helping scientists track climate change

What can centuries-old whaling ship logs tell us about today’s extreme weather? According to scientists, the answer is a lot. They’re using the information recorded by mariners going back hundreds of years to push the frontier of modern-day climate science. Special correspondent Pamela Watts with Rhode Island PBS reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Consider This from NPR - The video game industry at a crossroads

The video game industry is huge. Last year alone it generated an estimated $187 billion dollars in revenue.

But it's also facing a host of serious issues: massive layoffs, the advent of A.I., games that take years to be released, and a schism between big and small developers.

This week's Reporter's Notebook takes us inside this evolving industry with NPR's Vincent Acovino, who recently covered the annual Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco.

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